Swimming device



J. A. KAYE.

SWIMMING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13. 1919.

1,329,660. Patented Feb. 3,1920.

.N. J-AL J Qttomwq JOHN ARTHUR KAYE, or SAUL'I. s'rn. MARIE, ONTARIO, CANADA,

SWIMMING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent Patented Feb. 3, 1920.

Application filed November 13, 1919. Serial No. 337,889.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, JOHN ARTHUR KAYE, a subject of the King of Gre-at Britain, ire-- ,siding at Sault Ste. Marie, Province of Ontario, in the Dominion of Canada, have in vented a new and useful Swinnning Device; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to an improved swimming appliance, and has for its object to provide a device of this character which embodies novel features of construction whereby it will assist in causing, the

arms and legs to be moved in the proper manner and relation to each other when learning to swim.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a device of this character which is comparatively simple and inexpensive in its construction, whichcan be readily placed in position and will serve as a life preserver as well as a swimming appliance, and which provides an effective connection between the arms and legs of the swimmer, whereby the said members are assisted in moving in the proper relation to eachother for swimming.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following de scription and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a swimming appliance constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the same as applied to a swimmer, one position being shown by full lines and another position being shown by dotted lines.

Fig. 2 a detail view of one of the pawl and socket joints.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view through one of the leg bands.

Fig. 4: is an enlarged detail view of the pivotally mounted sleeves which carry the swinging arms.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the wrist bands, and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the belt.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated reference characters. v

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate one possible embodiment of the invention, the numeral 1 designates a life belt which is adapted to be fitted around the in all the viewsof the drawings by the same waist of the swiinn'ier, said life belt being formed of some buoyant. material such as cork, and being provided at the back thereof with suitable straps '2 by means of which it can be secured in position. The swimmer or person to which the device is applied is indicated at S, and the front of the belt 1 may be provided with a buoyantbreast piece which extends upwardly over the breast of the swimmer, thereby tending to float the swimmer in the water and hold him in proper position. Suitable straps 1 are provided for holding the breast piece in position. it I A pivot bolt 5 projects from they front of the belt 1 and extends transversely through a pair of sleeves 6 which are loose thereon. Arms or rods 7 are threaded in the ends of the sleeve 6 or otherwise rigidly connected thereto and extend. in opposite directions from the respective sleeves. These arms and sleeves cooperate with each other to provide a pair of intersecting levers which are pivotally mounted upon the bolt 5. These levers al'e connectcd at points adjacent the pivot bolt 5 by the four tension springs 8 which are arranged in parallel pairs, said springs merely serving to offer a slight yielding resistance to a swin ing movement of the levers in either direction.

The extremities of the arms 7 terminate in sockets 9 which loosely receive balls 10 at the ends of links 11. One pair of these links 11 loosely engage bands 12 which may be applied to the armsor wrists of the swimmer at any desired position. The other set of links 11 loosely engage leg bands 13 which may be applied to the legs or ankles of the swimmer in any desired position. These links 11 are shown as passing slidably' would be incident to a more positive connection of the members is thus avoided. This sliding connection also allows for the peculiar individual movements of the arms and legs which are necessary to swimefl'ectively and which are not such as follow anyvset mechanical rules. i

In order to cause the levers to move in synchronism, that is, to swing corresponding amounts in opposite directions, the breast piece3 is shownias provided with a slidew-ay 16. A slide 17 is mounted therein and pivotally connected bythe rods 18 to the upper set of arms 7. With this arrangement both of the levels always move corresponding amounts in opposite directions. This appliance serves'to couplethe arms and legs of a swimming'student together in such a manner that the arms must move in unison'and a movement of the arms in one direction must be accompanied by a corresponding movement of the legs. Many persons have great difiiculty in mo-vingthe arms and legs at the same time when learning to swim. and the use of'an appliance of this character will tend to overcome this difiiculty. Furthermore, the life belt supports the swimmer in the Water while he is mastering the arm and leg movements, so that the art of swimming is simplified and made as easy as possible for the swimmer.

Having thus described'the invention, what Lelaim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, i s:-

1. A swimming appliance including a belt, a pair of crossed levers pivotally mounted upon the belt, arm bands, legbands, and links loosely connecting the arm bands and leg bandstothe correspondin'g'ends of the respective levers;

2. A swimming appliance including a belt,

a pairv of crossed levers pivotally mounted on the belt, arm bands, leg bands, and links having limited sliding connections with the leg bands and arm bands and loosely connected to the corresponding ends of the respective. levers. V

3. A swimming appliance including a belt, a pair of crossed levers pivotallymounted on the belt, arm bands, leg bands, links loosely connecting the arm bands and leg ba-nds'to the corresponding ends of the respective levers, and an operative connection between the levers for causing them to move in synchronism;

41 A swimming appliance includinga belt, a pair of crossedleverspivotally mounted on the belt, arm bands, leg bands, links loosely connecting the arm bands and leg bands to the-corresponding ends of the respective levers, a breastpiece'provided with aslideway, a slide in the'slideway, and rods pivotally connecting the slide to the levers for causing the same to swing in synchronism. I

5. A swimming appliance including a belt,

a pair of crossed levers pivotzl'llymounted on the belt, arm bands, leg bands, linkshav- 

